A variety of popcorn poppers are known in the prior art, as is exemplified by the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
Des. 273,358; Johnson, et al.
Des. 279,070; Morrison, et al.
1,568,767; Proulx
2,241,754; Wilsey
3,666,499; Isnor
3,722,399; Cole
3,847,067; Munsey
4,072,091; Richardson
4,166,208; Martel, et al.
4,445,427; Kiczek
4,512,247; Friedman
U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,091, issued to Richardson, discloses a popcorn popper having a container in which the kernels to be popped are initially retained, a receiver for the corn after it has been popped and a hollow deflector chute for directing the popped kernels from the container to the receiver. Richardson also discloses the use of a hollow sleeve 28, in combination with a sleeve 16, to heat a baby bottle.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,568,767, issued to Proulx, discloses a combination electrical appliance having an enclosed compartment provided by screen panels 10 and a movable door frame 5' permitting access to the compartment. An electric heating unit 11 is provided adjacent one end of the compartment, and below a frame structure which is adapted to receive a removable pan 9. When the pan 9 is intended to be used to either cook or heat a food item it is supported on the upper surface of the enclosed compartment, above the heating unit 11. To use the unit as a popcorn popper the appliance is inverted, to thereby position the heating coils below the enclosed compartment in which the kernels of popcorn can be popped.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,666,499, issued to Isnor, discloses a popcorn popper in which a cover functions as an enclosure in which the corn is popped, and also as a serving dish for the popped corn.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,722,399 (Cole); 4,166,208 (Martel, et al.); 3,847,067 (Munsey) and 4,512,247 (Friedman) disclose different arrangements for melting butter as the popcorn is being popped, and directing the melted butter onto the popped kernels of corn.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,427, issued Kiczek, discloses a popcorn popper in which the kernels to be popped are contained in a first vessel, and are directed by a deflector system into a second vessel after they have been popped.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,241,754, issued to Wilsey, employs a blower arrangement for circulating heated air into the popping chamber of a popcorn popper.
Design U.S. Pat. Nos. 273,358 (Johnson, et al.) and 279,070 (Morrison, et al.) disclose popcorn poppers in which a deflecting hood is attached to a container in which the kernels of popcorn are retained for popping.
Although multi-purpose electrical appliances for popping popcorn are known, Applicant believes that need exists for an improved multi-purpose appliance combining an oven for heating or cooking food items with a popcorn popper.